The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-03-03
FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS-.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, March 2.-Among the
papers presented by the presiding Of
Seer was a Communication from the
Secretary Of War, with copies of all dis
matches from General Miles, referring
to the surrender of Geronimo and of
the instructions and correspondence
therein called for by the resolution.
Ordered printed.
plat from the committee on Terri
tories, reported the Senate bill to val
idste and cure the defects in certain
acts of the Legi lature of Washington
Territory. Passed.
The Senate proceeded to the con-
sideration of the naval appropriation
bill.
An amendment was inserted in the
item for the bureau of steam engineer
ing providing that no part of the ap-
preparation shall be applied to replace
the engines and machinery of wooden
ships where the stated cost of repairs
shall exceed 20 per cent. of the cost OF
new engines and machinery of the same
character and power. Under the head
of increase of the navy" the com
mittee recommends the striking out
the House provision for two swift
doubIe-bottomed steel cruisers and for
four gun boats, and to cost, exclusive
of armament, not more than 81, $50 600
and the substitution of two new Sec
tons providing for six protected
steel cruisers, with a speed of not less
than twenty knots, to cost, exclusive of
armament, not more than $4,000, 900,
and appropriating that amount; also
sppropriating for the armament of such
vessels, $780, 600; also appropriating
$4,000, 600 for heavily armored vessels or
floating batteries for coast and armor
defense; appropriating $4,000 for a
light-draGt gunboat; also appropriating
100000 for torpedo boats and $500, 900
for tordedoes, and S1,S00000 for the
armament OF these vessels.
Gray questioned the policy of the
provision requiring one of the six steel
cruisers to be built on or near the coast
of the Pacific Ocean, and two of them
on or near the coast of the Gulf of
Mexico. This was only trammelling
with the Secretary of the Navy and
interfering with the general objects
proposed. He was in favor of the &C
complishment of what the section pro-
posed, namely, the erection of six swift.
available and efficient cruisers, and
therefore he moved to strike. out that
provision.
Hale (who has charge of the bilD
stated that when the ten cruiser bill
was up some weeks ago, a similar pro-
vision had been adopted, after a full
discussion, on the motion of the Senator
from Alabama (Morgan). He had he
ieved then, and believed now, that one
or two of these vessels could be built and
built speedily on the Pacific Coast. The
committee on appropriations had en-
bodied these features in this amend
ment, taking a proportionate number
las the Whole number had been cut
DOWN and instead of giving two to the
Pacific Coast had given one, and in
stead OF giving three to the Gulf of
Mexico, had given two; leaving three
to the Atlantic Coast
Gray modified his mo ton so as to
make the clause I'D that if
II snail appear to the President that the
vessels cannot be constructed at a fair
cost on the Pacific or Gulf coast "he
may consider and accept bids for
pudding said vessels at other places"
instead OF suspending their construction
until further action OF Congress. n
Ma4ey said that there should be at
least one great navy yard established on
the Gull coast, where the best iron.
steel, live oak, and long -leaved pine
were at hand. The question was then
taken on Gray's amendment as modi-
neQ, and 1t was rejected
Pnmb moved TO strike out the item
oil 20, 00O, goo for heavily-armored vessels
OF palterles, or rams for coast defenses.
naIe opposed the striking out of the
Dawes said he had lust received a
telegram from New YORK stoned AM
brose Snow, chairman of the Chamber
OF commerce committee on coast de-
lenses and the President of the board of
trade and transportation. That tele-
gram Wasln these words: "The whole
commercial community anxiouslv hopes
mat some agreement providing ade-
luate and Immediate coast defense will
De mad. II not, public opinion wi
compel an extra session, which business
men would dread. l send duplicates
"G5eOI 10 your fellow conferees."
;DaWeS said if Congress adjourned
mloHo9t this provision, as it was init
1Itn1:O IN telegram which he had read,
800 prDip opinion was going to force an
o5o 80 session OF Congress to make this
agoequate provision. The fault did not
u o az the door of the Senate or of Senate
con1ereeS.
oPenolng further discussion, the
soo mSGe went into secret session and
SUN TOOK a recess till s O'Clock.
EVENING SESSION.
ine consideration of the naval appro-
S a,A bill was resumed, the question
lug on Plumb's amendment to strike
~ me amendment of the committee,
Noe Item Of sRe M nn.o a.. L;t.